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BOOK 3
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Being Yours BOOK 3
'Yes/ replied Felix, holding his ground. 'I hope Belle will do me that honour.''Belle.' Brand managed to make Felix's nickname for her sound obscene.'That's what I call her.' Felix puffed out his chest, looking pleased with himself.Brand's mouth curved down as he turned to Isabella and drawled, 'Your suitor is obviously a man of imagination. I do see the appeal, of course, but don't you think he's a little old for you. Belle?''Now, listen . . .' Felix began to bend his knees in a boxer's crouch. 'I'll have you know—''No,' said Brand. 'I'll have you know that Isabella is still my wife and, as such, my responsibility—''I am not your responsibility,' Isabella interrupted hotly. 'I'm a grown woman and I'm responsible for myself.'Just for a second. Brand looked almost nonplussed. Then he laughed softly and said, 'So you are. Sometimes I forget.'When he turned back to Felix there was a look in his eye that Isabella had only seen there once before and when she saw a fist begin to bun
Being Yours BOOK 3
'What reason have you given me to trust you? You want it all, don't you, Isabella?' Brand's voice vibrating across the room was low, gravelly, giving her no hint that she had ever touched his heart.She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the scorn she was certain would be written all over his face. When she opened them again he was standing up, and on the television a moon-faced cowboy was wailing a lament for lost love. As usual. Brand's body seemed much too big for the small room.'Yes.' She kept her voice level with a superhuman effort. 'Yes, I want it all. Brand.''Well, you're not going to get it,' he, said, almost conversationally. 'You ask too much of me, Isabella.'She didn't answer, but went on gazing at the point where his belt buckle bulged slightly beneath his sweater. The next thing she knew, his hands had closed over her wrists.'What's this?' he asked, his voice suddenly distorted, as if there was some further obstruction in his throat.'What's—oh.' She followe
Being Yours BOOK 3
In spite of her determination not to give Brand an inch, Isabella caught herself smiling too.'Daddy,' said Connie, frowning, 'you don't have a cat. And what's—what's ul—uliginous?''Growing in muddy and swampy places. Which would have described you nicely if I hadn't caught you. Now see here, Miss Ryder—'But Connie wasn't listening. Instead her big dark eyes were fixed on a fluffy white puffball nestled in an inside pocket of Brand's jacket. When the puffball started to squirm, and extended a black button nose, she let out a howl of delight that caused a passing and presumably deaf old gentleman to smile benignly, and his female companion to wince.'You've got a puppy!' she cried. 'Oh, he's so cute. Daddy, is he for me? Is he really?'Isabella's heart sank, and she felt a familiar urge to give Brand a good hard kick. Not that it was entirely his fault. She had meant to tell him a dog was impossible the first time the subject came up. But she hadn't done so because so much had happen
Being Yours BOOK 3
Brand eyed her sardonically. 'You already have my attention,' he assured her. 'As for the ducks—they aren't likely to relish the competition if you were thinking of going for a swim.'Isabella glared. Did he really imagine she had stumbled on purpose, in a bid to attract his attention? Just because, in the old days, it was exactly the sort of trick she might have pulled ...He responded to her glare with a grin so complacent it continued to irritate her all the way home.The two days of the weekend seemed longer than usual, and lonely, and when Brand brought Connie back on Sunday night Isabella looked at him as if he'd brought her a priceless gift. As indeed, in a way, he had.To her surprise he turned his head away, and she saw him clench his jaw as if he was in some kind of pain.'Toothache?' she asked sympathetically.He swung round to glare at her as if she had suggested he had fleas.'I promised Fluffy I'd go back to visit him next weekend,' Connie announced, happily oblivious to
Being Yours BOOK 3
Instinctively she tried to press closer. Brand wouldn't let her. 'No,' he said drily. 'I asked you to come as my partner. Not as inspirational copy for the morning papers. Behave yourself, Isabella.'How dared he? When she knew from the smouldering intensity of his eyes and the tension straining every muscle of his body that he too was aching with need. But then she had sensed from the moment he arrived at her apartment that his control was held in place by only the very finest of threads.'You don't have to take out your frustrations on me,' she said, not caring much if the thread snapped right here on the dance floor. If it did, then she too could let go.Brand's nostrils flared. 'Frustrations?' He spun her into a turn. 'What makes you think I'm frustrated?'She gave him a sugar-coated smile. 'Aren't you?''Damn you, Isabella.' The words were a roughly growled caress, and in the same moment the band brought the number to a close. When it started up again with a faster, more overtly
Being Yours BOOK 3
Of course she had wronged Brand by keeping his daughter's birth a secret. But his suspicions about Gary and Fehx had been without foundation. And how could he accuse her of blackmail?'Brand,' she said, not bothering to hide her resentment, 'I am not the juvenile idiot you seem to think me. I am well aware that affection, trust, love—whatever you want to call it—can't be won by blackmail or threats.''Good. In that case, don't ask for the impossible.'A beetle ran over her foot. She kept her eyes on it because she couldn't bear to look at Brand. If she did, she knew she would see his mouth flattened into that familiarly adamant line. She had no wish to confirm that the bond forged between them by last night's loving had faded with the unforgiving light of morning.'I'm not asking for anything,' she said.She wasn't either. She would love Brand to the end of her days, but it looked as though her love had finally defeated her. Coming back had been a mistake. What she ought to do now was
Being Yours BOOK 3
'None at all.' Isabella began to move discreetly in the direction of the door.'Good. Good.' He made a noise like an engine that didn't want to start and levered himself slowly to his feet.Isabella edged round the arm of the sofa, but suddenly Felix stepped in front of her. 'It's been a pleasure. Belle,' he said in a throaty whisper.'Yes. Goodbye.' She stood to one side, giving him clear access to the door.'Just for old times' sake,' he said.'What?' She caught his intention just a second too late. As she started back Felix grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her towards him and planted a damp kiss on her indignantly closed lips.Isabella drew away from him at once. But already something in the atmosphere had changed. The air was cooler and—and someone who wasn't Felix had just hiccupped. At least it had sounded like a hiccup. She wiped the back of her wrist across lips that tasted of beer.Soon she would have to turn her head towards the door. She didn't want to, because she alre
Being Yours BOOK 3
'Did you? By which time, I suppose, all signs of packing would have vanished and you'd have been able to break it to me gently. Was that the idea? Unfortunately for you, I finished my business earlier than expected.'Connie nuzzled her nose into Brand's neck. 'I'm glad you came early, Daddy,' she murmured, tightening her grip on his shoulders. 'Now we won't have to go to Edmonton, will we?''Of course not.' Brand unclasped her arms and lowered her gently to the floor.'Brand, you have no right to raise her hopes like that,' Isabella snapped. 'Connie, I'm sorry, darling, but it really isn't up to your father. You liked Edmonton before. You were happy there—''That was then. I didn't have Fluffy. Or my daddy.' Connie stuck out her lower lip and kicked mulishly at a worn patch on the carpet.Brand put his hand on the top of his daughter's head. 'Listen, sweetheart,' he said, in a voice that Isabella could tell he was having trouble keeping even. 'Your mother and I need to talk this over
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